Scratchy Kitty: Three Alternatives To Declawing

Posted on: 2 March 2016

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Nobody enjoys being scratched by a cat, and having your furniture clawed apart is not enjoyable, either. However, surgically declawing your cat involves removing the last bone from each of your cat's toes, and it can lead to serious side effects like chronic pain and infection. In most cases, it is best to try non-surgical methods to prevent scratching and clawing before resorting to declawing. Here are three methods to try.

Claw Caps

Claw caps are little rubberized caps that you can slip over each of the cat's claws. They have blunt ends, so when your cat tries to scratch, the claws don't do any damage. Claw caps can be found at most pet stores. While they work well for many cats, they are not effective for all. Some cats are pretty good at chewing them off, while others simply won't sit still long enough to have the caps put on. With claw caps only costing a few dollars, it's worth your while to at least give this method a try in hopes that it will work for you. Make sure you buy an extra set or two – even the best-behaved cats will lose the caps as their claws grow.

Clipping the Nails

You can use a human nail clipper to trim the sharp ends off of your cat's nails. Make sure you only clip the tips of the nails. If you clip too far down, you will hit the quick, which is a blood vessel that feeds the nail. This will cause your cat to bleed. Your cat will re-sharpen his nails after having them clipped, so you'll need to keep up with this by re-clipping the nails every couple of weeks. After you clip them, they should be too dull to do much damage to your furniture or skin.

Spraying Surfaces You Don't Want Clawed

You can combine this method with either of the two above. It prevents cats from damaging your furniture, but won't keep them from clawing you. Look for a cat repellent spray at your local pet store or make your own by mixing one part citrus essential oil with two parts water. Spray this preparation on surfaces like sofas, carpets and tables that you do not want your cat to claw. The scent is unpleasant and will keep most cats away.

Be patient when implementing one or more of the strategies above. It may take some time for you and your cat to get used to claw caps or regular nail trimming, but it will be worth it since you can avoid the side effects of surgical declawing.

For more information, visit http://www.1stPetVet.com or a similar website.